As they packed for a trip to the United Center and Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Chicago Blackhawks, just one question remained to be answered:

Can the Red Wings get back up?

Six days ago, the Cinderella story of the Stanley Cup, suddenly, the clock on Detroit’s playoff future is ticking perilously close to midnight.

They squandered a two-game series lead over the Blackhawks and Monday at Joe Louis Arena, coughed up a 2-1 third-period advantage and dropped a 4-3 decision in Game 6.

“In the end, we didn’t handle it, whether it be pressure or execution or whatever it was in the third,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.

Now it comes down to one game for all the marbles and it seems as if the Wings are out of shooters.

“We put ourselves in this situation,” Detroit defenceman Niklas Kronwall said. “We lost our composure there for a bit and made some mistakes, and the puck ended up in the back of our net.”

Not so long ago up 3-1 in this best-of-seven set against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Blackhawks, the Wings were poised to send the National Hockey League’s best regular-season team to the sideline.

Their advantage evaporated, the Wings sought to paint on brave faces as they looked ahead to Game 7, spouting clichés to appease the masses.

“If I would’ve told my whole team before the whole series, or if I had told Detroit and Michigan we would play in Chicago in Game 7, I think everybody would be excited about that,” Babcock said.

If the Wings had told the faithful that the method by which they’d arrive at Game 7 would be by racing to a 3-1 edge, then squandering it via back-to-back losses, it’s doubtful many would have bought into that gameplan.

For the young Wings, with five players in the lineup Monday who are participating in their first Stanley Cup tournament, these are teaching moments. And as is often the case with most of life’s lessons, they are learned the hard way.

For Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, a veteran of four playoff campaigns and about to start his fourth career Game 7, the message to the kids was that everything can still turn out all right.

“Just relax,” Howard said. “Breathe. Everyone take a deep breath.

“Take a step back and just flush it and get ready. The season’s down to one game. We’ve got to go out there and execute.”

With their backs to the wall in successive games, the Blackhawks got the job done.

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